GREEN Tomato Mincemeat for your Christmas mincemeat tarts (no meat involved)

 

Recipe Title:  Green Tomato and Thai Eggplant Mincemeat(sans meat (click on this link to go directly to my YouTube video) 

Ingredients:

9 c       green tomatoes 
9          apples (medium size), peeled & cored
1 1/2 cups       white sugar

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
5 cups raisins - rinse well first and drain
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. cloves
5 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. allspice
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups water

Use a food processor to dice the tomatoes or dice by hand
. Strain through a fine wire mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove excess juice. Discard juice and save tomato pulp.

Peel and core apples and chop into a small diced or chop up in processor until small chunks. 

Add all ingredients in a large pot on the stove. Bring the mincemeat up to the boil and then simmer on low for approximately 1  1/2 hours stirring occasionally. Be careful as the mincemeat will burn on high heat.

After simmering on low and while hot, portion hot mincemeat into hot, clean and sanitized glass sealer jars. Place a hot sealing disc onto clean rim[i] and place a screw band over top of jar and tighten until resistance is met and then tighten just a bit more. RESIST THE URGE TO SCREW THE SCREW BAND UNTIL EXTREMELY TIGHT…NOT NEEDED.  

For complete canning procedures as specified by the authority on canning ‘Bernardin  Canada’ please go to their website http://www.bernardin.ca/

Green tomatoes left over after the harvest

After simmering for 1 1/2 hour the mincemeat turned into a tasty aromatic filling for your tarts 

Pumpkin Pie for Thanksgiving with a non dairy substitute!

 Thanksgiving 2020 is going to be different this year as we all are doing our part to flatten the Covid-19 curve again. I hope that you, your family and friends are safe and even though we can't gather as we normally do I hope this recipe comes in handy for however you are celebrating this year.

This year I am using oat beverage  instead of dairy for my pumpkin pie filling. It is a great substitute for those who don't want to use dairy or almond milk.

Pumpkin Pie Filling:

yield:  filling for 1  X 10 in. pie shells

1 can pure pumpkin (398ml) 
3 large eggs or 4 small
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup Oat beverage (this is a substitute from the original recipe, please click here to go to my original recipe which uses dairy instead)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
½  tsp. salt

Procedure:

In a large bowl or with a stand mixer whisk eggs and sugar until well blended. You can easily do this by hand....a mixer is not necessary.

Add pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) from the can, spices, and salt. Mix until well combined.
Add oat beverage to the pumpkin & spice combination. Stir or whisk until combined.
Pour into unbaked pastry pie shell (recipe below) just up to the fluted edges (don’t
overfill).
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake the pie on the middle shelf of the oven for approximately 50-60 minutes until the filling is baked and set. Usually the filling when set has a slight convex appearance to it.
Serve hot or cold.  Refrigerate unused pie after cooled to preserve the freshness.

How about these pumpkins?

PASTRY (enough pastry for 4-5 pie shells)  The original recipe is from my Mom, Eileen,  who made the best pies ever.  

Eileen at 94...so thankful

5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
1 lb. shortening

1 tbsp. brown sugar

1 egg
3 tbsp. vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar but any vinegar will do)
1 & 1/4 cup cold water

1.     Mix together flour, salt and brown sugar. Whisk together to remove the lumps.

2.    Cut up shortening into small cubes, return to cooler to keep cold.

3.    Add vinegar and egg to liquid measure cup. Beat with a fork.

4.    Add enough ice cold water to egg/vinegar mixture to make a total of 1  1/2 cup of liquid.

5.    Place measured dry ingredients in a large bowl if mixing by hand.

6.    Add shortening and with a knife or a pastry blender start cutting the shortening in to the flour until all the shortening is dime size and mealy.

Miriam's Time Saving Tip♥ If using a stand mixer for pastry making do not multi-task. Stay at the mixer and pulse the machine on and off until the flour and shortening are slightly mixed but not totally combined. There should still be big size chunks of shortening showing and plenty of loose flour when you add the liquid. Do not be alarmed at this because if you go too far at this stage you will ruin the pastry.

7.     Add liquid to the flour mixture and with a fork mix liquid in. Do not over mix at this stage or your pastry will be tough. Gently form into a ball with your hand.

8.    Roll dough up into a disc and wrap in parchment paper and then in a clean plastic bag and store in cooler until needed.

Miriam's Time Saving Tip♥ Making this pastry ahead is a great time saver. It keeps well in the fridge as long as it is wrapped well. After making pies freeze the remaining pastry for use later.